Welcome to the Middlesex branch of the Western Front Association.
Venue: Hewitt Room, Whitton Community Centre, Percy Road, Whitton TW2 6JL
The Community Centre is a single story building shared with the Whitton Corner Pharmacy which is situated between Twickenham School/Whitton Sports and Fitness Centre and the Whitton Health and Social Care Centre and across the road from Twickenham Cemetery. See news item dated 9th May 2023 for picture of Centre as seen from Percy Road. The Hewitt Room is on the right at the end of the entrance corridor.
If driving the nearest main road is the A316 (Chertsey Road). Come off at the Hospital Bridge Roundabout heading north taking the exit signposted 'B358 Whitton' onto Hospital Bridge Road and then the next right onto Percy Road at the Health and Social Care Centre which is just past the Church on your right. The entrance to the Community Centre's car-park (which includes disabled spaces) is then on your right. This is free for those using the building but is quite small so if this is full then local roads have unrestricted street parking.
NOTE that the Centre being in the London borough of Richmond now lies within the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) area so suggest you check your car on the TfL website (Check your vehicle (tfl.gov.uk) to see if you would be liable for the £12.50 daily charge for driving in the zone.
However if using public transport the Centre is a 10-12 minute walk (around 800m) or short bus ride (see below for details) from Whitton Station- turn left on leaving station. The station is in TfL fare zone 5 and is served by South West Trains semi-fast London Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside service or the stopping Waterloo-Hounslow loop service. Note that the latter service is limited to peak hours so will allow access to the meeting but to return after the meeting you would have to change trains perhaps at Richmond or Putney having used the Windsor service or using buses as below- check your journey on the National Rail or Transport for London journey planner websites to find the best option for you.
It is also on H22 and 110 bus routes both of which pass Whitton station and link to Hounslow or Richmond respectively for London overground (from Richmond) or underground (Piccadilly or District line respectively) services. If travelling from Whitton station get off the 110 bus at the Ryecroft Avenue stop and walk on past the School to the Centre or the H22 at the Whitton Corner Health and Social Care Centre stop, then walking back into Percy Road to the Centre. Travelling towards the station both buses use the stop directly across Percy Road from the Community Centre again named as Whitton Corner Health and Social Care Centre. The 481 bus from Kingston to West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth also serves the Whitton Corner Health and Social Care Centre but offers a limited service ending before 8pm so again whilst it could be used to reach the meeting it could not be used to return.
NOTE there are no refreshment facilities at the Community Centre but The Winning Post pub is close-by on the Chertsey Road with access from Percy Road and there are a number of restaurants, supermarkets and takeaways on Whitton High Street to the right of the station.
Dates: The First Thursday of each month (except January and August when no meeting is held)
TIME: 7:20pm for 7:30-9:20.
Donation (£4 suggested) requested to cover branch costs
Follow us on Twitter: @WFAMiddlesex
Upcoming Branch Events
'Developing a Meritocracy in the BEF' a talk by Dr Peter Hodgkinson
The British Army went to war with a cadre of officers who had been promoted largely on the basis of seniority. With the rapid promotion of junior officers and the influx of civilians, did a meritocracy establish itself? Taking the example of Infantry battalion COs, who were the men who commanded the infantry battalions of the BEF in 1918? What w...
Event Details
'The Highland Soldier in the Great War' a talk by Dr Tom Greenshields
This presentation isn't about famous Highland regiments. Instead, it looks at the life and character of the Highland soldier during the First World War. Tom will examine the reality of the Highland soldier's experience of the war, including some difficult areas, such as the exercise of discipline, self image and reputation, ferocity and compassi...
Event Details
‘Gunners definitely, but not necessarily Arsenal fans’: The Field Artillery Brigades of the Four London Territorial Force (TF) Divisions 1914-1918’ a talk by Simon Shepard
As war broke out in 1914 several of the artillery bridges of the London TF Divisions were on their way to their annual summer training camps, borrowing horses and guns as they went. Many were undermanned but several had men with prior war experience to lead them. London provided four TF divisions, drawn from across the city. Simplistically, thi...
Event Details